Amendment Act B18-622 was approved in a unanimous vote by the Council of the District of Columbia on May 4,2010; the act, which went into effect on July 27, 2010, removed state-level criminal penalties on the use and possession of medical marijuana by qualifying patients. Eligible patients are required to register with the medical marijuana program to obtain a medical marijuana card. The DC law prohibits home cultivation of cannabis and patients are required to obtain their supplies from DC-monitored dispensaries.
However, there has to date been little progress in the establishment of a medical marijuana program in the District of Columbia and it is unlikely that medical marijuana will be available to eligible patients before 2012. We will, of course, keep you updated.
In the meantime, we summarise the important points below.
Washington DC Medical Marijuana — Eligible medical conditions
- HIV/AIDS
- Glaucoma
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Cancer
- Chronic renal failure
Any other condition, as determined by rulemaking, that is:
- Chronic or long-lasting
- Debilitating
- Interferes with basic functions of life
- Is a serious medical condition for which the use of medical marijuana is beneficial
- Cannot be effectively treated by any ordinary medical or surgical measure
- For which there is scientific evidence that the use of medical marijuana is likely to be significantly less addictive than the ordinary medical treatment for that condition
You may also qualify as a medical marijuana patient if you undergo any of the following treatments:
- Chemotherapy
- The use of azidothymidine or protease inhibitors
- Radiotherapy
- Any other treatment, as determined by rulemaking, whose side effects require treatment through the administration of medical marijuana in the same manner as a qualifying medical condition
Washington DC Medical Marijuana — How to Become a Medical Marijuana Patient (Eventually)
- To qualify as a medical marijuana patient in Washington DC, you must:
- Be a resident of Washington DC
- Have been diagnosed with a qualifying medical condition, or
- Be currently undergoing a qualifying medical treatment
- Obtain legitimate medical records or documentation from your primary care physician describing their diagnosis
- Obtain an authenticated written documentation from a Washington DC licensed physician stating that you might benefit from the use of medical marijuana
- Must have a bona fide relationship with the physician
- Register with the Washington DC medical marijuana program
- Obtain a Medical Marijuana card
Washington DC Medical Marijuana — Access to Marijuana and Allowed Amounts
When the program is finally up and running and you have obtained your card you will be required to purchase your cannabis from a District of Columbia registered dispensary. You will be allowed to possess up to two ounces of dried medical grade marijuana.
